A fight broke out on live TV after journalist Yuriy Butusov smacked Ukrainian Parliamentarian Nestor Shufrych as the panelists were discussing the recent Russian aggression towards Ukraine.
In a video Friday on YouTube, Ukrainian Parliamentarian Nestor Shufrych, who is part of the pro-Russian Opposition Bloc Party, said that he will never call Putin a “killer,” since one day “he may have to negotiate with him.” (RELATED: US Approves Plan For Troops To Help Americans Evacuate Ukraine If Invaded)
The politician then repeatedly defends his pro-Russian stances on the show. As they are waiting for President Joe Biden to give his remarks on Ukraine, Butusov says that there are “clowns that have gotten too much time on this program,” and that there are Ukrainian soldiers out on the front right now under Russian fire that are protecting Ukraine. (RELATED: Biden Says He Believes Russia Will Invade Ukraine Within ‘Several Days,’ Notes Threat Is ‘Very High’)
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“It’s very sad that right now, in such a difficult moment, our people, all the people that are protecting our country, are forced to hear the embarrassing rhetoric of these two traitors,” Butusiv said.
“So I ask you please,” Butusov added, referring to the host of the program, “to stop letting” these people speak, because they are spreading “Russian narratives” as he pointed to Shufrych and one other speaker.
Shufrych then started talking, saying that he knew that he was coming on this show and did so because there are Ukrainian speakers and Russian speakers in Ukraine who want to know the truth.
The journalist then stood up and walked over to the Shufrych and slapped him across the face, knocking him over onto the chair next to him. Shufrych stood up and swung his fist at Butusov’s face.
Shufrych then tackled the journalist and Butusov ended up putting him into a headlock. It ended with other co-hosts begging the two to stop, and men being pulled apart from each other.